Episode 58 – Kerry Dover | Momentum Architects

In this episode I chat with Kerry Dover, fellow Strengths coach and founder of Momentum Architects.

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Transcript

Murray:
Hey Kerry. Hello. Welcome to the podcast. How’s things?

Kerry:
Hello, Murray, thank you so much for having me. Yeah, things are good. Today’s a good day. Today’s a good day.

Murray:
Yeah, we were chatting just before we started the recording about just the, the emotions that we can feel between days and on multiple motions on one day. I know I felt a range of emotions in these unprecedented times and how things have been failing. But I keep on coming back to what’s in my control. And what can I do at the moment? And that’s been helping me. What’s helping you at the moment with all that’s going on?

Kerry:
Yes, so the word that I keep using with everybody actually is roller coaster, it is that pure emotional roller coaster of not even daily, but sometimes hourly or even down to the minutes, I will be up one second, you know, and then kind of goes on in a heap on the floor. The next but I’m really, I’m really being very gentle with myself at the moment. Actually, I’m very much accepting what’s what’s going on. Exactly. As you said that, you know, what, can I change? What can’t I change? And really just being okay with not being okay. Yeah. So yeah, not trying to not try to push it too much. The self care is high at the moment.

Murray:
Yeah, I think self care is high. And I think that being gentle to ourselves, kind to ourselves and kind to others is really important right now. And you and I, we’ve been chatting, again earlier about just some of the good that’s coming out right now. And I think there is a greater focus around that self care. But also, I like to say I’m seeing a greater focus or connection that people are starting to have for the community and for each other, that we’re all, you know, supporting each other. And we’re all in this together. So it has certainly been a roller coaster. So we’re going to talk a bit more about what you do, but just yeah, what’s news with you? What’s happening for you at the moment with business and things that are going on?

Kerry:
Yeah, so again, roller coaster in all aspects of life. And I think I’ve actually, it’s fascinating. I think I’ve spoken to more people in the last, let’s say, three or four weeks than I had in three or four months before that, or being virtually so it’s actually a really, really great opportunity to, to reconnect and to actually go right, yeah, what is important in life? You know, it is that human connection, right. And it’s suddenly being taken away from us is, has made us all realize that again, so I think that’s one of the beautiful things that are coming out of this. In terms of business, it’s really that. Okay, how it goes from a scramble to to a gliding swan. Again, on an hour by hour basis, it’s that, okay, oh, workshops are not going to happen, you know, conference, speaking gigs are not going to happen, you know, organizational contracts are getting paused or postponed. And it’s that okay, far out what on earth do I do? Because business as I as I know, it is not the same, you know, that the first couple of weeks, I’ll be perfectly honest, I was a heap heap on the floor. I was like, That’s it? How can you model a business, you know, around around, as you said, these unprecedented global events? And then it’s really been going okay, well, where’s where’s the opportunity in this? And how do I take the pause that we’ve, a lot of people have been talking about now and reassessing How do I do this differently? What do what do my clients need, though? That’s the key for me right now is going what is it that my clients actually need? Rather than me just trying to desperately put something out there or rehash something in it? You know, in an online version? Yes. Yes. Physical versions?

Murray:
So yeah, I think I’m seeing that I think from a lot of people that do work similar to you and I about serving clients and organizations and teams around where can we provide value, but not only in the work that we do, but so many businesses I’m seeing online, the services they’re providing right now about, here’s a way to provide more value right now, whether it’s a free license or a free opportunity, or home delivery, we had a collective of local bakery, vegetables, and chocolates and things delivered yesterday, which we would never have had done before. That was just beautiful to support local business, but they’re doing these new strategies and ways to talk about how they can innovate and provide that value right now. And I think I’m loving that innovation and the value that’s being generated and provided by people right now.

Kerry:
Yeah, I love it. I love it. And it’s the intention. I’m finding it as well. I’m being so much more intentional. Yes. Okay. From a business perspective. It’s like, oh, how do we really bring back some of those expenses and you know, get through this, I guess, but also just being really intentional about right? Where is my money going? And where is my money flowing? And how do I then support the local community around here so that they can survive.

Murray:
So yeah, I think I was thinking about this the other day, that sort of conscious spending. It’s like Marie Kondo was the thing. You know, a little while ago, that doesn’t bring me joy. I wonder what Marie Kondo is doing right now. Hope she is, well, I hope she’s healthy. But that doesn’t bring me joy. Do I keep it? Do I buy it? Or do I need it. And minimalism has been a bit of a journey for the last few years. And it’s obviously something that we are aware about, and we’re trying to get into ourselves. But I think now this next evolution possibly is also even deeper, more people think about, where am I consciously spending my money? And how is that helping the broader community? broader community even more as well?

Kerry:
Yeah, we are decluttering every aspect of our life, right? And that’s only ever gonna be a good thing. Going back to those core needs, core beliefs, what is it we actually need to survive, which is only only going to be a good thing?

Murray:
Yeah, Itotally, totally agree. Now, I want to go back in time a little to the Momentum Architects. So this is your business and tell me, how did the business come about and the name because I absolutely love the name.

Kerry:
Thank you, I quite like the name. The name is actually a little, a little sort of, thank you, I guess to my dad, who is actually a trained architect in the traditional sense of the word from a building perspective. And, yeah, it’s really come about because I’m a massive fan of momentum, which, again, at the moment, I’m having to reel myself back in a little bit going, right, we can’t necessarily just be on this momentum train, go, go go, you know, we need to actually have time to time to process and time to think and time to reflect I guess, the but yeah, the Momentum Architects is really around how do we build momentum? How do we build, you know, a life that we genuinely love? And, you know, how we get more work life and play is the premise of all of it. So within that there’s, there’s a couple of different facets, there is the organizational piece where I do help teams really understand themselves first, through the strengths piece, which I’m sure we’ll talk about in a second, Murray. Well, yes. And and then how do they how do they then work better as a team so then as a team, if we all know each other better, if we all have greater self awareness, then I believe we build people like we do businesses, really, you know, to build a great person, you need strategy systems and strengths. And to build a great business, I believe you need strategy systems and strengths. So if we can apply both of those within the business, then we can thrive and really that sort of competitive advantage if you like in the market. And then on the other side of that there’s a couple of sub brands called the Momentum Life Project which really my podcast and pieces sit within that and I’ve got some sort of stationary bits almost it’s a little bit Kikki K in there with nice journals and some habit trackers. And yeah, that was, I think, my calling in life that I missed, I love it, I love it. And then the Momentum Movement, which is very much a new thing, actually, and a membership community. Really, the way I’ve been describing this is like a gym for your mind. So it’s really enabling individuals to master their mindset, and really start unlocking their potential and turning that potential into performance.

Murray:
I love all that that you’re doing. And I love how if people experience what you do, and then there’s different elements, they can take home, they can keep with them to keep the momentum going, because momentum does drop off. And I’m wondering what’s, what’s your experience around how we keep the momentum going? Because I know whether that is myself trying to change habits or working with teams where they sort of get everything set, we create some great protocols and ways of working, and different things impact that and start to slide off. So how do we keep that going? Kerry, how do we keep that momentum happening?

Kerry:
Accountability, my absolute favorite word in the world other than momentum probably. Accountability for me personally is key. And, you know, sporting teams, our coaches, business execs have coaches. I feel we all need a coach for our mind. You know, we need a performance coach to keep us on track because life is busy, right? And life gets in the way and other things happen. And you know, I’ve been there I’m sure you’ve been there like you just said in terms of trying to build positive habits, whether that’s flossing your teeth every day, you know, or creating a new business or launching a new project or eating better on a daily basis. Whatever that particular habit is, it’s that accountability. It’s that constant reminder. And it’s that constant chipping away going, Okay, if I can be slightly better tomorrow than I am today, you know, and I’m better today than I was yesterday for me that that tweaking and that constant, little bit of evolution is far greater than that, throw everything up in the air, sort of as a jigsaw puzzle and, and try and change everything at once massive fan about 1% or attitude.

Murray:
Yeah, I totally agree. I think quite often, unfortunately, we have teams and approaches where it’s like, let’s set and forget, at the start of the year, let’s see how we’ve gone into the year. I mean, that is just, we’ve talked about it on the podcast, in the past around this old performance review process, you know, let’s set a goal. So you’re looking at the end, it just doesn’t work. galvus research, totally see that I’m sure you are there as well. That’s not what people want and that’s not what will keep this momentum and keep the momentum happening to all who are helping us feel engaged, and to the same, isn’t it? I’m sure whether we’re at work, or the other things want to build momentum in our lives outside of work as well.

Kerry:
100% 100% most of I think the best tool I ever created for myself, was literally a piece of paper that I still to this day print off every week. And it’s like, right, what happened last week? You know, what went well? What did not go, well? What do you want to achieve this week? It’s very simple, really simple, but just having that question to ask yourself, you know, it’s not rocket science, right? It’s like, Oh, how did your week go? How’s this week gonna go but allowing yourself the time and the space to review and reflect is, in my view, the absolute cornerstone for them achieving whatever you want in life? Because, yeah, really. Knowing knowing what you did well, and knowing what didn’t quite hit the mark allows you to then tweak and change rather than, like you say, you know, traditional appraisals as such, I’m showing my age now using an appraisal word that traditional appraisals in the past, you know, work I remember in my, my very first job, I got hauled into, you know, the big boss’s office on whatever day of the year, it was that appraisals were happening. And I lost points because I was wearing black stockings. This is back in the UK really back in the day. black stockings with my skirt. I wasn’t allowed to wear trousers by the way. That stockings instead of flesh colored tights, or whatever it was that they particularly how dare you? How dare I write and nobody had told me at all that there was even a uniform code, I knew that I had to wear a skirt not trousers, again, showing my age. But other than that, I did not have any knowledge of what color stockings were meant to be beyond. And nobody had mentioned it to me in the other 12 months. And yet suddenly, I’m now getting marked down not anything to do with my performance, not anything to do with my actual work. So yeah, it’s like, that’s not valuable. That’s not That’s not helpful in any way, shape, or form. So yeah, I think it’s a great thing that that’s changing. I don’t think it’s quite changed in every organization, but it’s changing.

Murray:
So I’m just wondering, though, what’s popped into my head, started our conversation with talking about, you know, what’s going on in the world right now. And obviously, a lot of people working from home, there’s that physical distancing, and that sort of disconnection happening? How do you think people can stay momentum, stay motivated and have that momentum right now.

Kerry:
So for me, personally, I was actually thinking about this a lot over the last couple of weeks, and just messages coming through from friends of mine going, Oh, who, you know, haven’t even got out of my pajamas today. And, you know, I’ve watched like, seven, seven episodes of whatever it is target town or something, you know, tagging on Netflix, and haven’t actually even logged on this morning. Now, I’ve worked from home for a number of years now. So in my home office, so I do feel I have a massive advantage at the moment over people. But I have always been really, really conscious of building a great routine and putting myself in the right mindset. And I do that with things like getting dressed, you know, I will still get dressed, put workloads on, you know, and I will still brush my hair. Most of the time, I’ll put some makeup on, you know, and I will use the environment around my house to zone off into different things. You know, if I’m at my work desk, I’m there to work. So I’m very, very conscious of trying to separate and I get that some people are now in very, very small apartments, you know, in the middle of a city and things like that and trying to manage working on a dining room table trying to homeschool children and everything at the same time. But whatever you can do, I think to put yourself in the right frame of mind and set your environment up to do to at least have some kind of normality, I think that will really, really, really help everybody.

Murray:
Yeah, obviously goes back to your point earlier too, which is so powerful about, let’s be kind to ourselves around how the current situation is and how we can set ourselves up for success. And I do agree, yes, we need to get dressed, and something which resembles our work attire, because there’s that body mind connection happening, then around, I’m getting ready for work, I’m going to show up for work. And there’s a level of professionalism that comes with that as well. Tammy and I, my wife, we’re both been running our businesses from home for quite some time, like you. And we did an episode on the podcast couple issues ago and shared, you know what to work for us. And we actually tapped in and explored that idea to about how do you embrace the different areas of your house, home, flat, whatever it might be, so that you can be at your best. So I have the GSD area where I’m just gonna get stuff done. And then there’s the I’m going to be a bit more creative. And then there’s the i’ll sit at the dining table, because I know the kids will be coming past me getting that connection. So I think yeah, as big or small as your place may be. But just think about how you can tune into that and sit in different areas or stand standing desk to help you. Yeah, yeah, have that momentum and be at your best.

Kerry:
Love it. And I actually think the other great gift that we’ve got at the moment is our ability to practice a bit more energy management. Around our times as well, because I know for me personally, I know people talk about get up, do you exercise first thing in the morning, you know, really get those endorphins flowing, etc, I cannot do that I have tried. So so many times, I’ve done heaps of different experiments on it. For me, I need to get out of bed and I work, I get up, I get my coffee and I smash out you know, a good couple of hours of work before I do you know, anything else before the shower happens before I actually get dressed or any of any of it. Because I’m just at least most I get my little Energizer Bunny happening. And I’m at my most productive, and nobody else is kind of online, which is amazing. So I get my, you know, most important task of the day done if we’re talking to the Brian Tracy Tracy elements. And I think, again, a lot of people were extremely fortunate, Murray, working from home or being able to manage our time a little bit better and a little bit easier, and they’d be more flexible. And a lot of people still do have this almost traditional nine to five. And for me that’s not how my energy levels work. Yeah, I think now, but the people being at home experiment, see what works for you.

Murray:
Yeah, I totally agree. And I don’t know if you saw the Gallup article that came out in the last few days now talking about some of those things that leaders can do differently to support people working from home. And one thing that stood out to me that you just mentioned, was changing. The deadlines are when you want some work back from a team member from close of business, to start of day. Yes. And the idea being that I need this at by the start of the next day, not the close of today, then that gives that person the chance to work with their energy levels, their productivity needs, what’s going on in their home, to then get the work back to them. And yes, it might be meaning that they’re doing some work passes standard nine to five, but they’re also able to work in with their current situation, to then get the work back to you. So I thought some of that change in language and approaches from leaders. Like that can be really valuable.

Kerry:
And I don’t think anything will ever stay the same right after this. Yeah, it will be do shift. And I think that the traditional, you need to be at work between certain hours will probably start I mean, it’s already started, I guess, BC before COVID in European areas, and there’s been trials around this, but I think it will become a lot more results based than than ours based rather than you know, when do you physically have to be at your desk?

Murray:
Well, I think and that’s that element that you mentioned before around how do you keep momentum accountability. So, this is not “it’s a holiday”, there’s still work to be done and a version of business as usual. And that accountability is really important. And just want to get your perspective. I think when I’ve talked to teams and leaders around accountability, the other half of that is empowerment. So what’s your thoughts around how empowerment plays a role within countability?

Kerry:
Great question. Great question. And I think there will be almost two divides now in society right. There are those and I have seen them and I do know a few who were awesome. Three months off, right. And we don’t really need to do anything if the boss can’t see us. And then I think there are those that are yet Looking really into this #newnormal and going, like, how do I make all of this work, and I’ve got children to school, from home, you know, and I’ve still got to do my day job and everything else. And I think, I think those, I think what will really, really happen is that those skills, such as self management, you know, and regulation of your own time and results, and everything else will become the valuable ones in the new moving forward, after COVID-19. And I think up until now, we have maybe been stuck in this traditional system, you know, almost, and Gallup are very much changing this, which is fabulous in terms of turning bosses into leaders. But I think a lot of us still are stuck in that boss says something we do, you know, whatever we are told, and I think this will really shift it, you know, a lot of humans want to want to be given that empowerment, I feel inherently we do, we want to do well, we want to own our own our own roles, our own our own tasks. And I think we want to be given that responsibility. And now, now it’s up to us to step up to the plate and demonstrate that we can handle it. So I think I think people will thrive from this. Not necessarily this week, not necessarily next week. But you know, I think that the long term outcome will be a positive.

Murray:
Yeah, I’m seeing that with my clients that are looking at how do we build on our culture where we’re creating that greater empowerment, more trust, more clarity. So there’s, with these different working arrangements, it’s driving the need to be clear on expectations and clear on projects and clear on the work of different people. So there’s some really good things like that, that are evolving out of what’s happening, I think right now.

Kerry:
Yeah, I think that is so valuable. I don’t mind saying I had a couple of virtual assistants very early on, and it failed miserably. And I mean, to me, okay, great. And the reason it failed, I take full responsibility for it, because I was not, I was not taking the time to be clear in my, in my instructions in my wants in my expectations. They were doing a great job. But I was not, I wasn’t doing my part of holding up my part of the bargain, I guess. And so you’re right there, this is going to be a real real test of people being able to breathe better, to give clearer instructions to really focus on the outcome. And I think businesses as a whole will be a lot stronger because of it. Because up until now, a lot of people do a lot of work that may or may not achieve great objectives and really be pulling the business towards that greater vision and that greater mission, whereas I think now that’s the only direction we can go in. So yes, it’s a good thing.

Murray:
So from a Clifton Strengths Finder, perspective. So context, in its definition, talks about understanding the past to where we’re going, but for more for me, here we go. So context for me is number 33. Okay, again, we talk about weaknesses and how we manage those and for me to complete sort of lesser talent, that providing that context is something I’ve need to focus on. So you’ve jumped in, you’re right. So for you, it’s 34 meets 33. So, yeah, so tell me your strengths journey. How did you get introduced to the world of strengths?
Kerry:
Okay, so I vividly remember during my top five, at that point, it was at a conference in March 2017 I don’t know the exact date in March, but yes, March 2017. And I was introduced to this tool called Clifton Strengths Finder. And at that point, did my top five and no joke Murray, it changed my life that day. Before the workshop had even finished, I’d opened the rest of my 34 to activate to really you know, know the rest of it and give myself I’m gonna use the word context even though that is that is very low for me but to give myself context around the rest of of everything, and it gave me the missing jigsaw puzzle piece is how I best describe it I had done I’m always fascinated in in psychology, human behavior, you know, how we how we operate as humans, I’m pretty obsessed with with that those areas. But I had done Myers Briggs in the past, you know, your 16 personalities, etc, etc. They were always great to have and it’s like, oh, yeah, that’s me. But there’s no useful long term. I shouldn’t say that. But I felt there was no can’t set intention around them every day. They didn’t give me those practical tips, tools, you know, strategies to really then move forward and go right well, how do I now leverage this to become a better person? So I really opened my eyes to then going. This was my missing piece. This is why if I was trying to do things a certain way, whether it’s with business or home or whatever, it just wasn’t quite working for me because I was trying to mirror what other people were doing. You know, and I think intellectually, we all know that. We’re different, right? Yeah, yeah, we are all individual. We talk about that a lot. But this really did demonstrate how different we all are. So really, from that point, I was running a marketing consultancy, actually, at that point, and a lot of my clients, I’d already shifted a little bit into the coaching space. And I’m really looking at just to give a bit of background here than I did. I did work in a behavior change consultancy, and their health coaching, consultancy for for a number of years. And that was really looking at how to get patients to adhere better to their treatment recommendations. So we worked with sort of health systems across the world to to embed behavior change principles. Fantastic. And yeah, fascinating work. And I never realized how it’s so amazing, isn’t it, how it all starts connecting, connecting together. So from a positive psychology viewpoint, from behavior change theories, and that type of thing, very much was already interested in it was using a lot of coaching principles with my clients who I was fine. It wasn’t at the implementation, it wasn’t the marketing stuff as such that they needed. It was the mindset, it was the mindset shift. And so then layering on Clifton Strengths. Yeah, very soon after that was like, right, I have to do, I have to do the accreditation, I have to know more about this. And I have to be able to then allow other people to have the benefits that I’ve now had from it. And really, that’s where that’s where it all started.

Murray:
Yeah, I have a similar journey to yourself. And I love what you’re talking about that sort of depth of understanding, we get to know about ourselves, and even those around us as well from knowing our top five and the strengths based approach. Want to ask you, strategic achiever, includer, activator, focus your top five, if you’re going to get one of those tattooed on your body. When tattoo parlors opened up again, you’re going to get one of these tattoos, let’s say down your neck or you know, on your arm, because you’re going to own it, it’s yours. Which one of your top five? Would that be? And why?

Kerry:
That’s such a good question. Such a good question. And the one that initially popped into my head there, as you asked, that was strategic. So I’m gonna go with my first answer. And say, strategic. This is one that probably more than all of the others, allowed me to make sense of me, when I realized what it was, what it did, and how it enabled, I guess my gift to the world to show up. Up until doing this, I think I’d never really given myself kudos, if you like for being able to see those patterns, you know, being able to see those connections. And, and I would say things that other people like, how did you get to that conclusion? I don’t understand where that came from. Because I had processed it in my head and it had just come blurting out. And I hadn’t realized that I’d even done it. And to me, it was so simple, I guess so unconscious, that it’s like, okay, well, we could do this direction, this direction, this direction, or this direction, that okay, well, let’s discount A, B and C because of these reasons. Okay, done. This is where we’re going. And I didn’t realize that that was a strength. And I didn’t realize that that was something that other people didn’t necessarily do or that way. So I think yeah, strategic is really just enabled me to own me. Yeah, and go right. Yeah. Okay, this is a gift I do have to have that I can give to the world.

Murray:
And right now, in our current times, are you drawing on that strategic to help you see your way forward?

Kerry:
100% 100%. And I think if we talk in terms of blind spots, in the strengths for the first week or two, when, if you like the jigsaw puzzle was thrown up in the air and all the pieces were scattered. My strategic in overdrive was causing me some issues, because I couldn’t see the way forward. I couldn’t sift through the different paths and the different patterns and, and all of the pathways if you like were giving me dead ends, which was really, really sort of messing with my mindset. Now, though, now that I’ve allowed some of the others I guess, to come, into play, really, I’ve got that I’ve got discipline, very, very high up as well. So that’s number seven for me. Um, you know, sort of discipline, focus, things like that going, okay, just just bring it down, just sift through, don’t try and come to a conclusion really quickly. I think what I’ve been finding is now I’ve been able to use strategic with other people a lot, and helping them find their little pieces of inspiration in all of this. So allowing them to actually see some different patterns and see some different ways forward, where they were still very much in this mess, I guess that I, that I was in to start with. And now I’m helping them really move forward. So yeah, more now more than ever, I feel my strategic is a gift.

Murray:
Yeah, fantastic. And I’m also hearing, and from what you’ve been talking about earlier in our chat, your activator, strategic coming out and combining that number four, number one combination, and tell me if I’m reading this wrong, please, that I see the way forward and I’m ready to go. Let’s take action. Let’s move forward.

Kerry:
Yes. I almost called myself a strategic activator on my business card once. That’s really how, yeah, how I view the world. And it’s like, right, okay, which way are we going? Okay, done. As soon as I make that decision, then I’m ready to go. And it’s fascinating, because, at one point, previous life, I had a business partner, and we used to, gosh, we used to drive ourselves mad. Absolutely. The frustration between us was incredible, because she would have great ideas. And they would come pouring out of it, you know, total stream of consciousness. And she would like, right, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go. Let’s go to that lady, you know, she does have very, very high activator, that’s, that’s in her top five as well. Yeah, for me, I have to let the strategic do its thing. And then once I’ve made that decision, then my activator will very, very quickly kick in. But I have to think before I do versus do without, without thinking. And that’s where we were really, really butting heads. It’s a fascinating sort of case study looking back. Because yeah, she wasn’t allowing me that time to process. Because I’m like, hang on, we haven’t weighed up all the options. I haven’t seen all the patterns yet. As to which way we should then be taking action on it was just like right idea. Go.

Murray:
I think I think something else that’s really valuable there is I think people can make the assumption that are because you have activating your top five and someone else does that you’re both going to be aligned, you’re both going to work together so smoothly and with ease and grace, but actually there can be a bit of conflict potentially there because our activate or our talents will show up differently combined with those other dominant ones that we have.

Kerry:
Absolutely. And I think this is where the beauty of strengths really lies, right? Because the depths and the layers are just so phenomenal when you start digging down and going Yeah, on the surface, if you just read the generic descriptions, I guess it’s like, well, of course we two activators, we’ll just get a lot of stuff done. But no, it really is, depending on how the others are, are playing out as to whether that’s going to be a help or a hindrance.

Murray:
So I’m sure you’ve thought about this one or throw this one to you. I was just thinking about the integration between momentum and our strengths.

Kerry:
My personal strengths?

Murray:
Well, I’m just, I can see some synergy there. And I’m picturing in my mind the Venn diagram of how we maintain momentum, and how we tap into those strengths and where that happens. What’s your thoughts there?

Kerry:
I agree. Very much. So I think, for me, personally, again, going back to my strengths journey, I gained so much momentum when I learnt my strengths, because it gave me permission to be me. And it gave me that underlying, I guess, push, and it gave me that underlying bucket of things that I could draw on, to actually get myself moving forward. So you know, by very definition, momentum. And I think a lot of people do get stuck in that this is what I want to do. But I don’t know how or I don’t know quite why or I don’t know where the action is to move forward. So I think you’re absolutely right, being able to then know our strengths. And by owning our strengths, and going yes, this is me, we can get, we can get so much stuff done, you know, we can, we can really start to have some momentum in life, whether it’s work life or play. My husband, for example, when we did his strengths, again, it makes so much sense. And, now we get more stuff done, and we’ve ever done before, because we sit in our strengths so beautifully together. And it’s like, right, well, you do that? I do that, because we know that that is out how we’re going to generate that maximum momentum, and how we’re going to generate that maximum return on effort.

Murray:
So my wife, Tammy, she has activator in her top five, and we have learned over the past five years, the times that that can cause that can contrast my responsibility. Her let’s take action and my response was saying, but is it the right action is the best thing right now. And then, and that’s working through that have you and your husband got a bit of a sort of complementary set of talents like that as well.

Kerry:
So he has a high activator, which is great. He has high achiever, which is great. And he has high focus, which is great. He also, though, he has very high consistency, very high harmony, and very high discipline. And some of those drive me absolutely insane, and consistency piece as well. I’m very much one. And I think it probably goes back to the context that we were talking a little bit earlier about as well, you know, I see consistency in quite a similar way, rightly or wrongly. And I can see his consistency come through, you know, this is what we do, this is how we do it, blah, blah, blah, down to like, Friday afternoons is clean the house day. He comes home from work, and it’s Friday afternoon. And to me it’s like, but does it have to be done every Friday, you know, but that’s his consistency, just building it into that routine. Whereas to me, Everyday is a blank piece of paper, and I kind of love that constant change and the constant evolution. And so I have to be really, really, I guess, aware of how some of his will go into overdrive if I try and battle them. And yeah, like you say, with Tammy, it’s just knowing how you both operate, it just makes everything so much happier, right?

Murray:
I totally agree. And I think that I am often drawn back to that quote from Don Clifton, with the people that I work with, whether it’s one on one or with teams about, you know, let’s focus on what’s right with people rather than fixating on what’s wrong with them. And I think that as a mindset, and then strengths helps us do that. Whether that’s with the people we work with day in day out or a partner or or friends family, whoever it might be. I just I love that. That’s what this framework helps us to.

Kerry:
Yeah, 100% it’s so true. So true. Why are we trying to fix people, you know, just become a bunch of average humans? No, we want to 10x potential, right? We want to exponentially grow and develop.

Murray:
The world doesn’t need another one of me, that’s for sure. So I’ve got a A couple of questions to help us wrap up. One of my questions is, your passion for momentum is certainly coming through in our discussion and the work that you do. And if there’s anyone listening, I hope there are a few people listening, but I’m sure there are people listening that want to just go and get some inspiration from you around. How do I keep that momentum right now, through what we’re experiencing in these times? What would be a couple of tips that you’d love to share to help them? And I think you’ve, you’ve shared a few already. But just to help us wrap this up, what would you say is some ways to help people really keep the momentum going right now?

Kerry:
Yeah, great question. So routine for me is a really big one. It’s building that routine and going okay, this is my #newnormal for the next however long. So how do I make the best of it? As you said, at the very top of the top of the podcast, you know, what can we change? What can’t we change? So I even wrote a really long list of what can I change? And what can’t I change? At one point, because it just gave me, I’m a big list maker. Very, very big list maker. So I just wrote it was almost a pros and cons list. You know what, I can change what I can’t change so that I could then bring back some control over, over over my day and over my life, I guess, at the moment, really, keeping keeping up with our, I guess everything that we did, again, I use the term BC, you know, before Corona, what what is it we’re doing? You know, are we doing that exercise routine? How are we eating and all the rest of it? Are we using this as an excuse to sit on the couch and eat Cheerios? Or, you know, Doritos, or whatever else? Or are we going okay, this is a great, great time that I can then experiment with all these recipes, and, and cook this meal that I really wanted to? Yeah, I think routine for me and habits is the key one, there is a lot of information out there. I think there’s also there’s an old, a lot of people trying to do the right thing. And putting a lot of things out on social media, though, that is not not necessarily going to be the most helpful. So I would also say really pick and choose and be very mindful of what you’re tapping into and what you’re looking at, you know, my biggest trick this week is not even looking at the news until lunchtime. Yeah, I was finding that was sending me into such a negative space. I was like, you know, if something really, really is happening, and I need to know about it, somebody’s going to give me some kind of alert. I’m gonna get some kind of notification. So yeah, I don’t even look at it until lunchtime, so that I can start the day really, really positive.

Murray:
So I think I’ll admit to I slipped into that and the past couple of weeks where I was jumping on social media and the news early in the day and then I could send how I was feeling throughout the day, because I was feeding myself all the negativity that was happening. And yeah, I think that’s a great insight and one that reminds me as well. Let’s start ourselves off with those strong habits as healthy habits and focus on what’s in our control so that we can be our best day in day out.

Kerry:
Yeah, the other slight thing I just will add to that is I’ve been using the Pomodro Technique The tomato timer, I’ve been using that but from a check in perspective. So I have been setting my alarm on my phone for every 20 minutes. And every time the alarm goes off, I just do a check in going How are you feeling? Because like I said at the beginning that emotional roller coaster going up and down and up and down. You know, I’ve been finding that I’ve been in let’s say a negative headspace, you know, all day and hadn’t hadn’t given myself that check in. So yeah, really doing that. Just go okay, how are you? Right? Do you need to put on a song do you need to, you know, get up and just get some fresh air five minutes, you know, what are you? What do you need to do? Right? So I’ve been finding that really, really helpful.

Murray:
Yeah, great. Now, and if anyone that’s not too sure on the Pomodoro method, or technique, I should say check that out. Just search for it in Google but it is about setting yourself that timer for 25 minutes on five minutes off, to help you be focused and also build that momentum of getting stuff done as well. Kerry, this has been so great. I’ve loved chatting with you. I loved just exploring your journey, momentum, accountability, strengths. I feel like we could talk for ages I’m sure it’s a question I ask on every podcast is what’s your definition of inspired energy? So what comes to mind right now and that one?

Kerry:
Gosh, inspired energy? Yeah, I love the name of this. I really do. Because to me that I get this flow of burning energy, I guess when I actually hear the name inspired entity. So and it is that word? It’s flow. It’s flow flow flow for me whenever I hear inspired energy, and it conjures up really, I guess having set the right environment as we were talking about earlier. So both mental and both physical. So you get that beautiful buzz, you know, where, where suddenly the inspiration hits, you get that flow of energy, and the words or the numbers, the drawings, whatever it is that you’re doing, like they’re just just can’t be stopped. They’ve, they’ve almost taken on this world of their own, and they’re just coming out of you, without you even consciously thinking of it. To me, that is total inspired energy.

Murray:
I love that. And I’m actually thinking about the connection between the momentum architects and inspired energy. I think there’s a beautiful link there.

Kerry:
I think collaboration is just around the corner, Murray.

Murray:
Yes. So thank you, again, I’m gonna make sure on our show notes we are linking to the momentum life project as well, momentum architects, your stationary. So all those links are there so people can come and check out all those amazing things that you’ve got to help people maintain the momentum, achieve their goals, be the best selves, and to connect with you. If there’s one place online, that’s the best place for people to find out more about you. Where should they go?

Kerry:
Probably Instagram. Instagram is kind of my my channel of choice at the moment, actually. So at momentum life projects on Instagram, then, yep, DM me. Check it out. Let’s hang out.

Murray:
Yeah, awesome. All make sure that link is there as well. Now I’m sure you’ve got some tips out of this, like I have. So please, tag Kerry and myself on Insta, and the hashtag #inspiredenergy and the #momentumarchitects or #momentumlifeproject. And Kerry, thanks again, so much. It’s been absolutely awesome connecting with you catching up chatting, all the best for these coming weeks, or months. And I think that if we all apply what you’ve shared with us today that we’ll get through this with momentum and being our best selves. So thank you so much.

Kerry:
Thank you so much for having me Murray. That was, that was great fun. Thank you.

Murray:
Thanks. Bye

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